Eficácia da Fotobiomodulação associada à Terapia Miofuncional Orofacial na mastigação, deglutição e movimentos mandibulares de pacientes com Disfunção temporomandibular

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of photobiomodulation (PBM) combined with orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) on chewing, swallowing, and mandibular movements in patients with muscular and mixed temporomandibular disorder (TMD). Method: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Speech-Language Pathology Clinic of the Federal University of Paraíba, using secondary data from an umbrella study involving PBM and OMT in TMD patients. The study included 26 women aged 18 to 55 years, diagnosed with muscular TMD according to DC/TMD criteria. Participants were assessed using the DC/TMD and AMIOFE protocols, including video recordings of chewing and swallowing functions. They were divided into two groups: one received OMT combined with PBM, and the other received OMT alone, over four weekly sessions. PBM was applied to the masseter, temporalis muscles, and temporomandibular joint. OMT included massage, muscle relaxation techniques, isotonic and isometric exercises for the lips, tongue, and cheeks, as well as functional chewing training. Outcomes analyzed included chewing, swallowing, and mandibular movements, using Chi-square and Student's t-tests. Results: No statistically significant improvements were observed in chewing parameters. For swallowing, improvement was noted only in lip behavior. No relevant improvements were observed in mandibular movement quality. Conclusion: The combination of PBM and OMT did not demonstrate superior efficacy compared to OMT alone in the evaluated aspects. Nonetheless, OMT proved beneficial, supporting existing literature on its functional effects in patients with TMD.